REDUNDANCY DEALS:TRAVEL COMPANIES are anticipating a surge of backpacking tourists who want to escape bad news at home in favour of a cheaper lifestyle somewhere sunny and hot.
Intrepid Travel is offering a 15 per cent discount to people wishing to finance overseas travel with their redundancy packages. The discount applies to small-group adventures to more than 100 countries.
To qualify, you must provide evidence in the form of an e-mail or letter from your previous employer.
"It appears that some people see being laid off as an opportunity to take a career break, reassess where they are at and see the world. By offering this discount we hope to make this opportunity a reality for them," says chief executive Darrell Wade. "We realise not everyone who is laid off will be able to travel . . . This offer is aimed at the sort of people we've seen coming into our stores - those who don't have financial responsibilities and who believe that redundancy could be a good thing for them."
The best long-haul destination for travellers who want to make their money stretch is Asia, according to Michael Collins of Backpacker magazine. The Philippines, the southern coast of Cambodia and Vietnam offer the best value, with all the advantages of Thailand but without the expense. In Africa, Zanzibar would be a good bet, as it's "fun, laid-back and cheap". In India, Collins would recommend Karala.